In today’s video talk, see why Tim would buy a book in a heartbeat if it was available – and learn the idiomatic expression “in a heartbeat”! 🙂

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SCRIPT

Hi, It’s Tim Barrett here from www.domineingles.com.br. I have a student who wants to learn about the American Civil War. So I was searching the Internet to see if I could find something for her. And I saw these cool comic books that give the history of the Civil War in a very fun and easy way to read and understand. So I was browsing the site when I saw that they have some of their stories available on the app store for the iPad. So I clicked on that, but I noticed that they didn’t have the Civil War series, only some World War II series and some other stories. So I returned to his site and I wrote them the following: “Greetings! Are there any plans to have the whole Civil War Series available for the iPad soon? I would buy them in a heartbeat!”

What does “in a heartbeat” mean? (Let me just send the message here.)

[blocknote class=”red” title=”O que significa a expressão ‘in a heartbeat'”] Como se diz “in a heartbeat” em português? Qual é a tradução de ” in a heartbeat “? What does ” in a heartbeat” mean? What is the meaning of ” in a heartbeat”?

  • [do something] in a heartbeat = num piscar de olhos, sem pestanejar, sem hesitar

[/blocknote]

Ok. This is from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. And is says: In a hearbeat (an American Idiom). It means “very quickly, without delay”.

Things can change in a heartbeat.

But when you do something in a heartbeat, that means you do something almost immediately if you have the chance. Look at the example they gave:

I would change jobs in a heartbeat if I had the chance.

That means I wouldn’t even think about it; I would do it right away – if I had the chance. That’s why I used the expression when I wrote that man on the site. I would buy his book in a heartbeat if they had it available for the iPad. Here’s another example from the freedictionary.com: Almost immediately

If I had the money [Remember! If I had the chance,… If I had the money,…] I would go back to college in a heartbeat.

That means “immediately”, “right away”, “without thinking about it”. Here’s another example:

Just tell me that you need me, and I’ll come there in a heartbeat.

I’ll come immediately; I’ll come right away. Here’s another one from Oxford Dictionaries. In a heartbeat: instantly; immediately.

I’ll do it again in a heartbeat.

Here are some more examples from theidiomquest site:

I accepted the job offer in a heartbeat.

Meaning I didn’t even have to think about it. I accepted it right away.

Whenever you need help, I’ll be there in a heartbeat.

So, go to our site and tell me: What would you do in a heartbeat? I’d really like to know; and also, it would be good for you to practice this expression. See you there! Have a great day! Bye bye!

[note class=”cd”]DOMINE PHRASAL VERBS DE UMA VEZ POR TODAS: http://loja.domineingles.com.br/phrasal-verbshttp://tileeba.webstorelw.com.br/t/ingles-avancado/phrasal-verbs/
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How about you? What would you do in a heartbeat?

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